Saturday, 9 April 2016

343. Hanuman took over the command of the vanara army.

Hanuman suddenly felt that something was amiss. Something seemed to be telling him to continue the fight with that rakshash. Consequently he decided to take the lead and shouted at his comrades and the other vanaras and bears "O, my dear fellows! Why should we run away, looking dejected and leaving our zeal to fight? Until we are ordered so by Rama we should continue the battle. At this moment I am taking command of you. Follow me. Let us continue the battle."

All the vanaras agreed with Hanuman and wearing a cheerful countenance, took hold of mountain-peaks and trees. Hanuman, surrounded by the vanaras, started to attack the army of Intrajit as a flaming fire. As the rakshashas were very complacent, and very relaxed thinking that the vanara army would not have any energy or inducement for launching any attack on them.

The very repulsive, shocking, alarming, frightening, terrifying and appalling act of Indrajit kindled the anger of the vanaras. With great anger Hanuman threw a very large rock on Indrajit's chariot. But to the disappointment of Hanuman, the clever horses carried the chariot away beyond the reach of that rock. That rock fell on the ground and split itself into fragments and penetrated the ground. However, many rakshashas were very much bruised by the spilling fragments of the rock.

Hundreds of vanaras with their colossal bodies, lifting up trees and mountain-peaks, rushed roaring towards Indrajit. Those vanaras of terrible prowess, threw trees and mountain-peaks towards Indrajit. Intrajit managed to escape, but many other rakshashsas were hit.

Seeing the rakshas on the receiving end, Indrajit started retaliation with his powerful arrows. That action by Indrajit energized his soldiers who killed many vanaras with their various weapons.

The sight of many vanaras being killed by the rakshashas made Hanuman ferocious, wild, dangerous, cruel, savage, brutal and aggressive. With the result he created a havoc among the rakshashas, with Sala trees, distinguished by their excellent trunks and branches as well as with rocks. When the army of rakshashsas was kept at bay, Hanuman thought that it would be prudent to retreat now and he shouted orders to that effect.

While they were retreating, Hanuman informed his comrades "Seetha for whose sake we were fighting has been killed. Let us inform Rama and Sugreeva about this, after which we shall do whatever they order us."

Seeing Hanuman retreating with his army, Indrajit proceeded to the sanctuary called Nikumbhila, seeking more powers by propitiating divinities by oblations to overcome Rama and his army.